The Bet
by LilyFlowerEvans
Summary: Remus, James, and Sirius get involved in a bet. Everyone is sure they can win. The results will be hilarious.
1. It Begins

Title: Oops I lost the Bet. Summary: Remus makes a bet with Sirius and James. The results are hilarious!  
  
"Yeah right! She would never even come within ten feet of you," cried Remus.  
  
"You know mate, I think our dear friend Moony is right. Lily is much to strong-willed for your charms. Besides, have you seen the way she looks at you in potions?" Sirius said.  
  
"You mean the way she drools over my absolutely wonderful face? Over my irresistible charms?" James said all too seriously.  
  
Sirius and Remus looked at each other before bursting out in uncontrolled laughter. "Jamesy, my old boy, you must be dreaming. She looks at you as if you are a steaming pile of--"  
  
Remus cut him off by clearing his throught. "Prefects duty," he said innocently. "Anyways, your charms are far from irresistible."  
  
"Yeah, my charms are much more appealing. Have you seen them lately? They're looking good."  
  
It was James' turn to laugh. "Ha! Yours are hardly up to par. Remember the Pearl incident? She cursed you from here to tomorrow before you even got around to asking."  
  
Sirius was indignant. "Bah! Well that doesn't matter. The fact is that I could get Caroline way faster than you could get Lily."  
  
Remus looked as if he had just discovered a way to disprove infinity. "Care to make it interesting?"  
  
"Why Remus, the prefect..."  
  
"The teachers dream..."  
  
"Your not suggesting gambling on the hearts of these darling women, are you?"  
  
"Damn right I am," he said devilishly.  
  
"We must be rubbing off on him."  
  
"Good job on our part I'd say." The two shook hands as if they had just made a success in business.  
  
"So what do you say? You in?" He looked to both of them.  
  
"Well," started Sirius.  
  
"It's just that..." James tried.  
  
"I never thought I would see the two of you chicken out on anything so...simple."  
  
"We're not!" they cried together.  
  
"I'm broke...that's all," said James. Remus knew for a fact that he had just gotten extra money from his parents. He was just afraid that the stubborn Lily Evans would turn him down.  
  
"I'm in," said Sirius after a moment of thinking. They both looked at James expectantly.  
  
"But--" Sirius grabbed his head and started to mess with his hair. "Ah!" he screamed. "Alright alright." Sirius let him go and he started to obsessively smooth his hair.  
  
"Could you just give it up?"  
  
"I agreed didn't I?"  
  
Remus flicked a piece of James' naturally messy hair. "Not that. Your hair can never be tamed. Just give it up!"  
  
"I wasn't!" His faced turned into a twisted grin. "Wanna bet?"  
  
"Hello?" Sirius knocked on his fore head. "We just agreed on a bet."  
  
"Right..." He looked slightly disappointed.  
  
"Anyways, I am setting some parameters, that means--"  
  
"We know Remus, we know. Rules, guidelines."  
  
"Can I continue now?" He asked mock angrily. James and Sirius nodded at him. "Okay. Well, let's see. What's a reasonable amout of time to get a date?"  
  
"A week," Sirius replied lazily.  
  
At the same moment James blurted out "A month."  
  
"Hmm..." Remus was feeling devilish tonight. "How about three days?" He smiled wickedly.  
  
"Uh!"  
  
"What?!?" were the protests of the two boys.  
  
Remus ignored them and continued. "You must make one attempt a day with a different approach until you succeed or time is up."  
  
"We need more time! There is no way this is gonna happen," James said.  
  
"I'll make it worth your time."  
  
"How exactly?" questioned Sirius.  
  
"Well, if you win, as in if you manage to capture the affections of said Lily and Caroline, I will do your homework for a month."  
  
"Homework for a month eh?"  
  
"You know...we really don't need him to do it. I mean, it's not like it's challenging. Let pick something more..."  
  
"Embarrassing?" suggested Sirius.  
  
"Perfect."  
  
"Are you thinking..."  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Definitely hula dancer outfit."  
  
"To hogsmeade all day?"  
  
"With dance requests?" They nodded together.  
  
"Got all that?"  
  
"Yeah. And, if you so happen to fail, you will cross-dress and sing a muggle song at breakfast."  
  
"What? Moony, old boy, I really thought you had something challenging in mind. Shake on it?" Sirius chuckled.  
  
James looked across the room at Lily for a second. He nodded and stuck out his hands. Sirius and Remus put out both of their hands as well and they did a three-way shake.  
  
"The deal is sealed, gentlemen. Now, I must go study for the potions test. I advise you prepare for tomorrow's big event. It's the first attempt and the most important." He left with a thin smile across his lips.  
  
"Think we can do it Padfoot?"  
  
"The question is not whether we can do it, but whether you can do it. I certainly can." 


	2. Romancing

Title: The Bet Chapter 2: Romancing Summary: Sirius is romantic with Caroline, but it doesn't seem to be working.  
  
It was nearly midnight and a chocolate-eyed young man was pacing the empty room nervously. This was the first impression after all. He turned and started the other direction. Of course, he was Sirius Black. Anything is possible. Especially with women.  
  
He heard a creaking noise from above. Caroline was coming down the stairs. He had sent her an owl asking her to meet him. Anonymously of course. The two had a bad history. One prank in second year and she had hated him ever since. "Her hair was only pink for a few weeks!" he told the headmaster.  
  
The girl came down dressed very nicely. She had on a nice black skirt and a flowing blue top that matched her eyes. Her brown hair was pulled up into a lose bun and she had ice colored eye shadow sprinkled on her lids. He couldn't help, but think he might actually like her as he retreated into a corner of the room.  
  
When she reached the bottom of the stairs she searched the room. To her it was empty and she sat down near the fire. Now was Sirius' first move. He whispered a spell to make soft music fill the room. She turned her head quickly and looked for the invisible source. Then he enchanted the room to smell like lavender. The girl breathed in deeply with a sigh. Wonderful tip he had picked up. She had been examining Lavender mood candles during the last Hogsmeade trip. At the time he had been spying on one of her friends, but he was thankful now.  
  
Soon she was relaxing and looking into the fire. He used a charm and make rose petals start to fall from the ceiling. One landed in her open palm and she looked up. Thousands of petals were drifting from some unknown place and Caroline was looking positively enchanted.  
  
Sirius pulled the invisibility cloak over himself and crawled to where she was sitting. Positioned perfectly behind her chair he started to whisper to her in his most charming voice. "Caroline. Your name sounds so sweet. It hangs in the air with grace."  
  
She started to turn around wildly again. She seemed a little startled. "Your face is like a ray of sunshine. Glorious and beauty unmatched," he continued. She smiled and calmed down a little though she still looked a little curious. "You are an absolute angel. Nothing would make me give up looking into your eyes."  
  
Suddenly she spoke. "I wish to look into your sweet eyes. Where are you?"  
  
"I can't tell you. You might scorn me. I could not stand it. Nothing would pain me more."  
  
"But, kind stranger, I do not believe I could after you have been so wonderful."  
  
Sirius almost lost it. She would absolutely kill him if she found out it was him this early. He was going to let her know tomorrow afternoon. "Trust me. It is better this way. I would rather imagine your pretty eyes in secret until I can make it up to you."  
  
"What? What do you need to make up?"  
  
She was on to him. Time to pull out the big dogs. "My love," she shivered at the utterance. "It is not important now. Everything in the world is you. You are my world."  
  
"Oh my..." she trailed off.  
  
Sirius found it very odd to converse from behind a couch and decided to make the most of it. He lay down with his arms behind his head. "Wondrous beauty like your own may blind my unworthy eyes." All of this sickly sweet talk was giving him a slight headache. "This better work," he grumbled.  
  
"The beautiful words you speak are almost to good for the human mouth. I only wish I knew you." She seemed forlorn and longing. Just the way he wanted her.  
  
"In time you may. In time you may." She stood up and started to walk around the couch. Sirius panicked, but before he could move his feet out of her path she had tripped over them. She screamed.  
  
"What the..." she yelled. The cloak was ripped away from him as she landed directly on top of him. They were laying face to face. She was stunned for a second before pushing off of him with all of her might. Her mouth hung open in wordless anger. "You...you...aaagh!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Yes. It's me, the wonderful Sirius Black." He tried to smile charmingly as he sat up rubbing his shoulders where she had push off.  
  
"I can't believe you. You pig. 'Absolute Angel?' What is this about? What prank? Why?" She stumbled over the words in her anger.  
  
"Prank?" He said a little to quickly. "There is no prank Caroline. I do really like you. Nothing would make me want to hurt you!"  
  
She glared and touched her hair, obviously thinking about when it had been unnatural colors. "Sirius Black, what do you think I am? If a git is your answer I assure you that you are mistaken."  
  
"Git? Of course not. Honey, sweetie," he tried to move closer, but she backed away. "Never. Wouldn't dream of it."  
  
"You must have to think I would have fallen for this stupid display."  
  
"You were falling for it until you knew it was me," he said defensively.  
  
"That's right. It would have been romantic if it weren't a phony, fake, and lying jackass like you."  
  
"Me? I am none of those!"  
  
"Tell it to the bat-boogies."  
  
"To the what?"  
  
She shouted the incantantion and his face was suddenly full of them. She turned and walked up her stairs laughing.  
  
"Wahit. Carli—Hep meh!" he muffled voice called. He heard her dormitory door shut and knew it was hopeless. "Great, now I have to go get help from Remus and James. They are never gonna let me live this down. I must win this bet now. For dignities sake."  
  
He climbed the boy's stairs and opened the door. Inside Remus, James, and Peter were laughing about something. He tried to hide his face, but his entrance made them laugh even more. Peter looked as if he didn't get the joke, but James and Remus did.  
  
"Comh onn yew guhys. Hoh digd yew no?" he said through the curse.  
  
"Well, first we heard yelling and we were thinking of going down."  
  
"But Moony here realized it was Caroline, so we waited to hear what was happening."  
  
"Then, we heard her yell the spell and knew you were a gonner. That is a cruel spell and she wouldn't use it on anyone else. Face it buddy, she hates you."  
  
"Sheh doesh noh!" he tried to defend himself. Then he started pointing to his face. "Pleahse!" he yelled.  
  
"Well, I donno Prongs. He does look better that way."  
  
"True, don't have to deal with his futile attempts at a beard."  
  
"MHMHMH!!!" Neither of them had any idea what that meant. After a minute more of laughing hysterically James took the curse away easily.  
  
"Thank god. I think one of those things was biting my ear!"  
  
"Right. That's all and well Padfoot, but we want to know what happened. What about the perfect plan was not so flawless."  
  
"It was nothing," he tried to brush it off. "Just a minor set back."  
  
"There was nothing minor about that curse you got. Don't hold out on us!"  
  
"It was nothing. Look, get off my back. I can't wait to see what Lily does to you, James. I do believe it will be something worse."  
  
"Yeah, but...Caroline cursed you," he tried the old joke again.  
  
"You are hopeless sometimes mate. Hopeless. I'm going to sleep. I think you should too, Prongs. A lot of work ahead."  
  
"I think Wormtail got a head start," Remus said pointing at him. The boy was drooling and snoring loudly as he slept. Sirius enjoyed laughing for a moment until he realized—  
  
"HEY!! That's my bed!" He pushed Peter onto the floor. The boy sat up quickly and looked around blindly.  
  
"Where's mom?" he shouted. His friends all laughed wildly. "What?!?" He stood up. "I never get your jokes!" he complained.  
  
"It's ok Wormtail, get to bed," Remus told him.  
  
"Yeah your bed." The confused boy got up and starting walking over to his bed. "And take you pillow!" Sirius flung it across the room and it hit him in the back of the head. He fell face first onto his bed and didn't move.  
  
"Err...he seems kinda...dead," commented James. The three of them walked over and peered at him carefully. He was snoring again.  
  
"That rat. He could sleep at anytime. I wonder if something is wrong with him." Remus looked at him with eyebrows raised. "Well, if something else is wrong with him anyways."  
  
"I'm going to bed. I just hope he didn't contaminate my sheets." Sirius walked over and pulled them off the bed. He gave them a little shake and lay down. "Good luck tomorrow James."  
  
"Yeah. Right."  
  
Remus smiled from the inside of his four-poster. This was all to easy. He knew they couldn't tame these girls and three days and he loved it. 


	3. Persistence

Title: The Bet  
  
Chapter 3: Persistence Summary: It's James' turn to test his charm on Lily.  
  
James woke up early to the sound of Peter's disgusting snores. He sat up and the world was blurry. He tried to stand up, but he bumped his head and fell back down. "That's going to leave a mark," he mumbled. Half of him wanted to just go back to sleep, but the other half was telling him he had something important to do. He couldn't quite remember what it was as he reached over and grabbed his glasses. He didn't bother to get dressed before he made his way sleepily down to the common room. Only a few other people were down there. Caroline and Lily were giggling loudly near the fire.  
  
"And then I put the bat-boogey curse on him! It was wonderful."  
  
"Whoa. I didn't know you hated him so much."  
  
Caroline's voice dropped to a whisper. "Well, I don't hate him. I think what he was doing was really sweet, but I had to get back at him for second year."  
  
James stood at the bottom of the stairs staring at the girls. Lily glanced over and rolled her eyes.  
  
"Don't look now, but idiot of the month, no year, has awoken."  
  
James in his sleepy stupor thought her look was one of inviting and pranced over. He plopped down next to Lily and put an arm around her. She turned and looked at him with loathing. "Excuse me?" she questioned. She stood up and moved to an armchair across from the couch. Then James remembered what he was supposed to do that day. Naturally he didn't have anything planned so he just went for his classic way.  
  
"Hey Lily. Wanna go out sometime?" She looked repulsed. This was the millionth time he had asked and she wasn't about to give in now.  
  
"James Potter I will never go out with you. Get it through your thick skull."  
  
"I don't know if that's possible Lils. It probably gets caught in that rats nest he calls hair."  
  
His hands raced up to the top of his head. He could tell that his hair was being even more stubborn than usual as he tried to pull his fingers through it. "My hair is not a rats nest." He was imagining Wormtail sleeping on his head, drooling. The idea was grotesque, though the two girls had no idea.  
  
"He is getting less and less clever. He didn't even bother to change this time. At least before he was fully clothed. I tell you Caroline, he is more and more of a slob each day."  
  
James wasn't sure what to say so he just tried again. "Evans, we are meant to be. Let's not oppose fate."  
  
"Potter," she said earnestly "even fate isn't that cruel." She turned back to Caroline. "He is revolting. All of that idiocy in one person."  
  
"I wonder how he can stand it." James was actually starting to be annoyed with her. He wasn't stupid. He made good marks in all of his classes. If it weren't for the bet he would have turned the scene into a screaming match.  
  
"Go out with me."  
  
"No."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"I'd rather kiss Snape."  
  
"Ew. You must be confused. My name is James, not Snape."  
  
"You wish."  
  
"Go out with me."  
  
"How about no?"  
  
"What about yes?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Give me a chance!"  
  
"Chances are for the deserving, Potter."  
  
Eventually she started to ignore him, though about once a minute he would ask her again. After about the fiftieth time Remus and Sirius came down. James was too busy asking Lily constantly to notice. Remus came up behind him and shoved his hand over James' mouth. "Could you give it a rest? You know it's not working right?"  
  
"Persistence my friend, persistence," he replied before asking again. Lily glared at him and went back to her conversation. Caroline was ignoring Sirius completely, other than a few glances he received nothing.  
  
"Annoyance is more like it mate," Sirius said.  
  
"And I suppose you two have a better plan."  
  
"Of course I would," said Sirius.  
  
"Anything is better than this. You're more likely giving her a headache than a desire to be with you."  
  
"If you two are so great what are the better plans to tame Ms. Evans?"  
  
The two of them faltered. No one had ever been able to woo her. She was the one who made the move and she liked it that way. "Well...I would..." Remus trailed off.  
  
"Er...I'm not telling, old boy. That would help you on the bet. Unfair advantage to know one of my plans."  
  
"The unfair advantage would be yours after what happened last night. That reminds me...Go out with me Evans?" She did not respond.  
  
Sirius rubbed his face. "Shut up! It still kind of hurts." Caroline saw this and laughed from he seat. Sirius smiled charmingly at her.  
  
"Is that emotionally hurt or physically?" teased Remus. "You know, I could make this much much harder on you two." He smirked at their dismayed faces.  
  
"How could you possibly make this anymore difficult?"  
  
"Well, for one, I could say something like," he started talking louder "Sirius and James don't really like Caroline and Lily, it's just a horrible, evil bet."  
  
Sirius dived on top of him growling. Several first years that were passing backed away. "You wouldn't."  
  
"I would," he said evily. James pulled his wand and pointed it a Remus' throat.  
  
"I'll make it so you can't. What curses do you suppose I should use, Padfoot?"  
  
"Silencing charm?"  
  
"Too weak. How about the bat-boogey?"  
  
"Too familiar," he grimaced. "I think a good teeth growing charm and jelly legs combination would be a good way to go."  
  
Remus reached up and casually pushed his wand away. "That's not necessary. They," he gestured to the girls, "didn't hear. But..." Once again his smile was devilish. Before they could stop him he hopped up and went over to the girls. After whispering something in their ears he came back smirking. The girls kept glancing in their direction and giggling.  
  
"What—What did you tell them," stuttered James who looked positively horrified.  
  
"Only about the time when I found you both huddled in James' bed whimpering and holding onto each other for dear life."  
  
Their mouths dropped open. "You wouldn't."  
  
"I would."  
  
"You wouldn't."  
  
"I did."  
  
"But! That was first year."  
  
"There was a storm outside," James protested.  
  
Remus shrugged. "That's where threats will get you. And now, I'm going to breakfast. Tah tah." He turned around still chuckling mischievously.  
  
Behind his back James mouthed, "I'll get the Jelly-legs."  
  
"I'll get the teeth growing." They both pulled their wands out and pointed them at the boy's retreating back. Sirius held up his fingers. "3, 2, 1." He curse shot out and hit the boy. They burst into silent laughter as Remus started to wobble around and his teeth grew down past his chin. He tripped and fell. His legs were still wiggling around like worms out of the dirt.  
  
"That's where telling peoples secrets will get you," said James with a smirking sneer.  
  
"And now, we're going to breakfast. Tah tah." Sirius gave a little fingers bent wave and the two of them climbed laughing out of the portrait leaving Remus to fend against a growing crowd of first-years himself. 


	4. Higher Stakes

Title: The Bet  
  
Chapter 4: Higher Stakes  
  
Summary: Sirius and James realize this is going to be harder than they thought.  
  
After breakfast, which Remus hadn't shown up for, James and Sirius made their way to potions. Potions was the most useless and most ridiculously hard class they had, not that they would ever admit caring about their grades.  
  
"You know, this is kind of boring, Padfoot," James said, eyeing on of the students up ahead.  
  
"What do you mean mate? We're just walking down the hall."  
  
"Yes, I know, but my life has come to command a kind of inexplicable interest. Walking down the hall can be so much more my friend," he put his arm around Sirius' neck and turned his head so that a greasy haired boy was in his view.  
  
"Ah, Snivillus," he said in realization. He drew his wand. "What shall it be this time?"  
  
"See how he carries his books? All in one arm and then quills and ink in the other? Bad way to go about things, don't you think?"  
  
"I see. Teach him a lesson about carrying things the wrong way?"  
  
"Exactly dear Padfoot, exactly." Several students were now looking at them nervously. They always had a certain gleem in their years when they were plotting something and this was no exception. A few girls jumped when Sirius aimed his wand and muttered the spell, but soon everyone was roaring with laughter. Except Lily and Caroline, of course. The boy they had cursed was now lying on the ground with his things spread across the hallway. No one stooped to help him as he struggled to wipe the ink from his eyes. Most people just stepped over him or around him and went to class.  
  
Lily and Caroline stayed behind until only James and Sirius remained, clutching their sides. Snape had already gathered his things and hurried into the classroom.  
  
"James Potter!" Lily yelled through gritted teeth. He immediately looked up and came over to her.  
  
"Yes my love?" He was grinning ear to ear. "Did you enjoy our little show?"  
  
Caroline on the other hand strode over to Sirius and slapped him hard across the face. "I can't believe you!" He tried to speak, maybe to apologize, but Caroline didn't give him the chance. "You are the most despicable and disgusting person I have ever ever met! If you ever try anything like you did last night again or anything like what you just did again I will curse you from here to Diagon Alley and back. Don't think I won't." She pushed him and he tripped over his robes and fell to the ground. His mouth was hanging open in disbelief as she walked into the classroom.  
  
"You know very well I did not enjoy your show. Unless it is just one of those things that can't get through that mop you think is hair, Potter." Lily was yelling into James' face.  
  
"But Evans...we were joking around!"  
  
"You were trying to hurt him. To humiliate him. One day it's going to come back to you. When it does I will be the first to laugh. I will be." She looked ready to hex him until he couldn't talk, but she just clenched her fists and stormed into class.  
  
James walked over and picked his friend off the floor. "What was that all about."  
  
Sirius gave him a look of amazement. "Don't tell me you missed everything that just happened. They hate us. We can't mess with Snape if we want them to give us a chance."  
  
"But it doesn't matter anymore," James cried. "We already lost the bet."  
  
"Prongs, you and I both know that this is about more than a bet now. It's more."  
  
"No..." James trailed off, trying to keep the lie alive. He didn't chase after women this way. They came after him and even if they didn't or if they said no he wouldn't care. Nothing more than schoolboy girl chasing. Nothing more. Sirius just looked at him and they walked into class together.  
  
When they got into the class only two seats were empty. Unfortunately they were right in front of Lily and Caroline. Before they could sit down the professor hissed at them that they had detention. The two of them didn't bother protesting; they had worse things than a short detention on their minds. Lily and Caroline looked at each other and smiled. They were proud of their work. Maybe Sirius and James had learned something.  
  
"Today we will be making truth potions. You should partner with someone you trust. Therefore I am making assignments," the class groaned and Sirius and James' faces grew even more worried. If the professor knew anything about the scene in the hallway she would be sure to pair them with the girls. She started to name of pairs. "Sirius and..." she smiled wickedly. "Caroline. James and Lily."  
  
Lily and Caroline looked at each other. "This will be hell," whisper Caroline.  
  
"At least your not with James!" Lily hissed back.  
  
James groaned. "Paired with Evans of course. What could be better?"  
  
On the other hand Sirius was smiling because he had a plan. He never thought he would pull inspiration from James' girl charming technique. 


	5. Apologies

Title: The Bet  
  
Chapter 5: Apologies Summary: Sirius makes his apologies and Lily even helps him out a little.  
  
Sirius and James wished each other good luck and separated. Caroling picked a spot in the back of the room and began setting up the cauldron as Sirius lagged behind her. When he found his seat next to her she spoke without looking at him.  
  
"Let's do a reality check, Black. You are scum. Some how you almost managed to convince me that there could be a tiny chance, hiding in some dusty, used corner of you twisted soul, that you might not be so bad after all." Sirius' face lit up, but even before it had spread to his eyes she continued. "But-" She held up a finger and shook it. "But, you just ruined it. Do not talk to me unless absolutely necessary. Do not mess my grade up."  
  
She set the fire under the cauldron wearing a face that looked like she would rather it be Sirius roasting in the pot than the ingredients of a truth potion. "Chop this," she said blankly, pushing a purple squash like plant to him. He took it and started to chop slowly, not only because the slices had to be equal, but also because he was busy thinking of a way to set his plan into motion.  
  
"I am genius!" he yelled as he finished chopping. An idea had just come to him. He smiled sheepishly at the girls in front of him. He had caused them to add too much lambslik powder to their potion when he yelled. Caroline was glaring at him too.  
  
"What's your problem, Black," she asked viciously.  
  
"Erm...I finished chopping," he covered. After he pushed the moonfruit he had chopped to her she examined it carefully. He grinned; he knew already that he had done them perfectly.  
  
"I guess this will do." She had been trying to find another excuse to glare and possibly even yell at him.  
  
"Nothing but the best."  
  
"Shut it, Black. Making equal pieces is hardly a reason for such celebration. Unless you're three years old. On second thought, good job." Sirius scowled at her and pulled out his wand. He hid it expertly in his sleeve. He waited until she was stirring the potion and steam clouds were floating around the dungeon before whispering something under his breath.  
  
Caroline was staring idly at a blank wall when she noticed a puff of steam glide in front of her face. It was moving quite oddly and she knew that it was not ordinary mist. It formed the words "I'm sorry," in curly letters. Then it swirled and the form of a rose hung before her. Just as it seemed she might smile she whipped her hand through the image and destroyed it. Again Sirius muttered under his breath. He felt the weigh of something appear in his hand and clenched his fist around it.  
  
"I forgot the crushed beetles," he lied.  
  
"But I saw you..."  
  
"No, no it was lambslik." Caroline gave him a look as if she now had to go eat worms instead of just walking to the student supplies and getting the ingredient. When she returned her cauldron was decorated with scrawled phrases like "I was wrong" and "Please forgive me." Caroline lifted her hand to wipe the gritty white lettering off of the metal, but she changed her mind and let her arm relax. She almost smiled again, but managed to suppress the urge. Sirius knew that one more attempt, if it was good enough, could tame her. For Sirius the rest of the class was spent trying to form an idea. Finally, as Caroline was putting away the supplies, it came to him.  
  
He reached out and took her hand gently. She seemed to enjoy it for a split second, but then she pulled out of his grasp with a glare. "It's okay. I wasn't trying to make a move. God knows it wouldn't do much good. I was just going to say that I would put away the supplies."  
  
"Oh..." She was slightly embarrassed at her own reaction. Maybe Sirius did deserve another chance. "I'll just go," she pointed with both hands at the door "to class...okay." She turned around and sighed silently. Smooth. Really smooth. After shaking his head, Sirius started to put things away.  
  
"Ok, come on, remember, remember. I should have paid attention last lesson. Damn Slytherins always needing to be pranked. Ok, effects of truth potion...hmm...okay...I know. They cause you to tell the truth."  
  
"Another stroke of genius." He hadn't realized he had been talking out loud and turned around to see Lily with her bag slung over her shoulder smirking. It was obvious that she had been watching him during class.  
  
"Yeah. Great. I don't have time for this," he said as he finished putting things away. He started t move towards the door.  
  
"The effects of are varying depending on the strength of the truth potion. For example, the potion we made today, Vertisa, lasts for about three hours and 56 seconds. It would cause someone to revel minor secrets, such as things they wanted to say, but were afraid to. If you are asked too intense of a question stay silent. Don't look at Caroline when you talk and don't say her name. No inflection in your voice either." She crossed her arms and watched his disbelieving face as he turned back to her.  
  
"Why would you...what do you mean?" he struggled to cover up his plan.  
  
"What? You didn't think I would be able to tell what you were thinking? I've know you for a long time, Sirius."  
  
"Right...but..."  
  
"I'm only helping you because Caroline is my friend. I know she likes you and I know you will take care of her. She's just stubborn. In fact, I'm not helping you. I'm helping Caroline."  
  
He stared at her for a second. "Thanks for helping her Lily. Thanks a lot." He ran out the door and Lily shook her head laughing slightly. She gathered her notes and started to head out the door and Sirius pooped his head around the doorframe.  
  
"Lily?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You're stubborn too. Think about it." He said it in a way that was more wise than hurtful and then hurried away again.  
  
Lily thought to herself for a moment and nodded to herself. "I am. I really am." 


End file.
